Council Motions

 

Date

Title

Motion & Resolutions

Lead Officer / Executive Member

Actions taken

19/12/2019

A Healthier Greener York

Council Resolved:
To request that Members & Officers work closely, collaboratively, and constructively to achieve meaningful, measurable & significant change to our city’s carbon emissions within the term of this current administration;

Claire Foale / Shaun Gibbons

 

Cllr P Widdowson

In progress. York climate change strategy is in development and scheduled for publication in July. Between 2018 and 2019, York’s carbon emissions reduced by 32,000tCO2e.

 

As a council, we have reduced our emissions by 60% since 2018/19 through initiatives such as switching our energy to a renewable tariff and our fleet electrification programme.

 

To work across political parties to build a city-wide consensus around reducing & removing unnecessary car journeys throughout the city;

James Gilchrist /

Cllr D’Agorne

Work in progress relating to LTP4 and full Council have since established a cross Party working group.

To prioritise establishing walking, cycling & public transport as genuinely viable & attractive alternative transport options for residents living in all parts of York, particularly including the villages & outer areas;

James Gilchrist /

Dave Atkinson

Cllr D’Agorne

LCWIP in progress relating to LTP4.

To request that the Executive Member for Transport;
• Develops & implements a plan, taking into account all financial & legal consideration, to restrict all non-essential private motor vehicle journeys “within the city walls” by 2023

Dave Atkinson

 

Cllr D’Agorne / Executive

Considered as part of the LTP4 and My City Centre consultation.

• Works closely with disability advocacy groups & Blue Badge Holders to ensure that access to the city centre is maintained and improved for people with mobility difficulties or who are otherwise unable to use public transport;

Pauline Stuchfield/ James Gilchrist

Cllr D’Agorne /

Cllr Smalley

Ongoing – considered as part of the wider consultation. Autumn 2020 and decisions made in November 2021 to remove blue badge exemptions from footstreets whilst investing to improve access across the city centre.  Access officer, who will lead on this work, funding approved and job role is being created for recruitment.

• In collaboration with the Executive Member for Children, Young People & Education, explores opportunities to restrict all non-essential motor vehicles from accessing the roads immediately adjacent to the city’s primary schools at drop-off & pick up times;

James Gilchrist /

Dave Atkinson

Cllr D’Agorne /

Cllr I Cuthbertson

Considered as part of the LTP4 but also subject to budget provision.

Works constructively with traders in any plans to ensure deliveries continue and businesses are not negatively impacted by any changes to city centre access.

Dave Atkinson

Cllr D’Agorne/

Cllr Waller

Considered as part of the My City Centre consultation and Footstreets review.  Further consultation planned as part of counter terrorism project implementation.

29/10/2020

Covid-19: Response and Recovery in York

Council resolved:

To thank all of York’s key workers, volunteers and public health
and Council staff for their ongoing efforts in supporting the city
and residents.

Ian Floyd

Thank you day recognised on 04/07/21. Working with partners to install a fitting memorial whilst sharing a certificate of thanks from the Lord Mayor to all involved.

To lobby the Government to provide additional testing capacity,
more timely reporting of results and urgent financial support to
Public Health teams to aid the delivery local contract tracing
scheme, which would enhance the national programme.

Sharon Stoltz

Completed.  Additional funding being received from the government Containment Outbreak Management Fund. Letter to Government sent by Councillor Aspden.

To call on the Government to release resources for the creation
of an additional walk-in testing facility in the city, in order to
provide residents with improved opportunities to access testing.

Sharon Stoltz

Completed.  Government policy on walk-in testing sites has changed. However, access to testing has been improved by the creation of 3 new public health led rapid testing sites and work with DHSC on mobile testing sites to be sited in areas of the city with high infection rates. The walk-through testing facility located on the Wentworth Way car park, was opened for appointments for those displaying coronavirus systems on Thursday, 1 October 2020.. Letter to Government sent by Councillor Aspden.

To call on the Government to provide urgent and comprehensive
support to residents and businesses in York, for example, by
introducing an extended furlough scheme and a trial of Universal
Basic Income.

Cllr Aspden

 Letter sent by Cllr Waller.

To formally back the Council’s ‘Back York’ lobbying campaign,
urging the Government to provide additional funding for York, in
order to seize the opportunities that are unique to the city and
drive recovery in the region.”

Cllr Aspden
/ Ian Floyd

Refreshing Back York activities including sharing an intelligence grid of identified opportunities.

29/10/2020

Free School Meals

Council resolves:

To fund a voucher scheme of £15 per pupil per week for

York’s pupils who are in receipt of Free School Meals for the

duration of the Christmas holidays;

Pauline Stuchfield / Maxine Squire

Completed

To request that the leaders of all York’s political Groups

jointly write to the Secretary of State for Education

demanding that York be reimbursed for the cost of providing

the above-mentioned voucher scheme and to allocate further

funding such that an equivalent scheme can be delivered for

the remainder of the school holidays in the 2020/21

academic year.

Pauline Stuchfield / Maxine Squire

Completed

29/10/2020

Maximising Opportunities to Build Consensus in Times of Crisis

Council resolves:

to request that Executive builds on the constructive steps

taken last year on budget setting and to actively improve

collaboration, particularly where decisions will have long reaching impacts, by giving all city councillors headline

budget savings targets and draft savings proposals by mid December 2020;

 

 

 

 

to request that Executive Members invite shadow portfolio

holders to attend any pre-meeting briefings before their

Decision Making sessions, and encourage their attendances

at said Decision Sessions by default throughout the duration

of this crisis;

Executive Members

Officers have the list of shadow members.  Executive Members are in regular contact with their shadow member and are welcome to attend EMDS to share their concerns as public speakers.

to request that the Executive Member for Culture and

Communities works closely with all city councillors to:

a) instigate a review of the use of devolved Ward Budgets, in

the context of unprecedented financial pressures, so as to

maximise their efficiency, value for money, and impact for

residents across the whole city; and

b) as part of this review and within the next month, prioritise

the flexible use of ward budgets with each councillor

allocating £2,000 within their ward budgets over the next

6 months, to utilise a focused resource of almost

£100,000. This resource will focus on supporting residents

deemed vulnerable, isolated, or in need of other essential

help through the funding of community, voluntary and

other organisations working to combat the worst effects of

Covid 19;

Cllr Smalley

Completed. Paper agreed at Cllr Smalley’s decision session on ward budgets.

to request that Executive Members and Officers actively

seek to maximise any and all further opportunities to build

consensus around decision-making.”

Cllr Aspden /

Ian Floyd

Ongoing.

17/12/2020

Finding the Sweet Spot – Carbon Reduction and Economic Prosperity

Council resolved:
To request officers to facilitate a wider understanding of the
approach and how it can be used by arranging information
sessions for elected members, relevant council officers and
interested partner organisations.

Claire Foale

Launched resident engagement survey to better understand relationship between residents’ opinions of economy and climate including running stakeholder roundtables.

To request Executive to consider the use of the doughnut economics approach to inform the current review of the council's ‘Better Decision Making Tool’, and also in due course the potential to inform future strategy development (for example on carbon reduction, anti-poverty work and the city's Economic Strategy).

Tracey Carter /

Andy Kerr

 

Cllr A Waller

Economic Strategy in development.

17/12/2020

Stand up for Carers - Increasing Carer’s Allowance

Council resolved:
That the Council lobby national government to increase Carer’s
Allowance by £1,000 a year, from its current rate of £67.25 a
week to £87.25, in line with the £20 a week uplift in Universal
Credit, including those who do not receive the Allowance due to
overlapping benefits and with equivalent increase in Carer
Premium and Carer Addition.

 

 

To call on the Government to expand the eligibility for Carer’s
Allowance, by raising the earning limit from £128 a week to at
least £139.52.
To request that the Executive Members for Communities and
Adult Social Care & Health bring forward a report to a decision
session, to highlight the work and voluntary efforts of careers in
the city, including highlighting the work of the York Carers
Centre. This report should further identify what is and can be
done to support carers in York.
 

Cllr Runciman / Jamaila Hussain

Letter sent by Cllr Runciman.

 

A new carer’s contract has been awarded and will commence on 31st March 2022. A full report on the outcomes achieved by the service and the work done by carers and volunteers and the new contracts stipulates the additional social value aspect.

17/12/2020

Call for ‘Free After Three’ Parking Initiative

Council calls for further parking and sustainable travel incentive initiatives to be brought forward including specific time limited initiatives as part of the economic recovery plan. After a hopefully strong run up to Christmas, Council is mindful that January sees a lull but businesses cannot afford this after the last nine months.

By identifying further incentive schemes as a part of our ongoing

response to the pandemic and within the budget process, Council

can continue to support the local economy through such schemes,

whilst ensuring a balanced and sustainable budget is set for all

Council services.

It is proposed that Council delegate implementation of this work to

the Chief Operating Officer, in consultation with the Leader, the

Executive Member for Finance and Performance, and the

Executive Member for Transport.

Neil Ferris /

James Gilchrist

Completed.

 

Allocations to support return to buses, encouraging the use of sustainable transport as well as various business support schemes and initiatives featured as part of 2021-22 and 2022-23 budget. Not implemented due to National Lockdown No 3. 

 

To be considered in budget 2022-23.

 

17/12/2020

Developing the Next Generation of Workers

To request that the Chief Operating Officer, on behalf of the

council, writes to the Chancellor and Secretary of State for

Work and Pensions, seeking a broadening of the

Government’s ‘Kickstart’ Scheme beyond just those young

people on Universal Credit and ‘at risk of long term

unemployment’, and further, to push for a fully funded youth

guarantee of jobs, training or employment;

 

Ian Floyd

Letter sent. 

To request that Executive steps up its commitment to

apprenticeship training in the council to train and develop

more young people, helping to avoid the requirement to send

more York apprenticeship funding back to Government, and

to report on its progress through bi-annual updates to either

Executive or the relevant Executive Member Decision

Session;

Maxine Squire/Alison Edeson/Simon Brereton

 

Update reports are provided to Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning Decision Sessions.

 

To support establishing a joint review, convened between

Economy & Place and Children, Education & Communities

scrutiny committees, to develop a robust strategy for

ensuring that best use is made of all available support and

funding for apprenticeships, both within the council and with

partners and businesses throughout the city.

 Amanda Hatton  

Completed – joint session reviewed NEET and apprenticeships.

22/03/2021

Becoming a Trans Inclusive Council

Council resolved:

To provide “Free to be Me” or equivalent training, available to all council and council service provider employees annually. To encourage take-up of the training, especially for team managers and staff who have contact with the public.

Ian Floyd / Helen Whiting

April 2021, staff communication from Ian Floyd re Trans awareness and direction to e-learning package.  We have also promoted the wider e-learning packages available for staff; Black Lives Matter, Trans Awareness, Gender Awareness and LGBTQI modules.  These will also be re-promoted as part of work planned in January (see below).

 

A total of 1581 staff have completed the Equalities in the Workplace e-learning module.

 

Work did progress with University of York in June 2021 to develop Human Rights workshops following the University receiving funding unfortunately this did not go ahead.  An alternative offer can be explored.

 

Staff awareness on the use of pro-nouns on email signatures to be promoted to all staff in January.  Advice was gained from Stonewall as part of CYC’s membership to ensure that correct and up to date advice is available to staff.

 

Free to be Me training from York LGBT Forum will require significant investment for the whole Council but discussions with the Forum can take place again.  Training Resources are available after the presentation.  Need to decide resourcing and whether there is a train the trainer option.  Front line and other key employees can be prioritised for any training and a virtual offer would be advantageous.

To encourage staff to make small gestures that make it clear that transgender people are welcome and valued, and that normalise things like talking about pronouns. For example, adding pronouns to email signatures.

Claire Foale

Inclusive training completed for Communications Team – activity plan produced for the council being monitored through the Resilient Communities Board and formed part of OD review. Email issued to senior management   regarding email signatures and use of pronouns.

To fly the trans pride flag twice annually, on trans day of remembrance and trans day of visibility.

Janie Berry / Pauline Stuchfield

Implemented

To ensure that the service level agreements for council commissioned family planning and contraceptive services include awareness training of transgender matters.

Sharon Stoltz

This is completed. The service level agreements are not scheduled to be reviewed until 2023 since they form part of an existing contract with sexual health service providers. Discussions have taken place with service providers with a request that awareness of transgender matters be included in their training programme for staff. This will be monitored via contract monitoring meetings.

 

To ensure that all local authority schools and local academies are aware of their responsibilities and duty of care for trans children and respecting of their pronouns

Jamaila Hussain  / Maxine Squire

All schools are aware of this responsibility through the school safeguarding adviser who provides them with training to develop their understanding of the requirements of keeping children safe in education.

Introduce a code of acceptance for all foster carers.

Anne Coyle

This piece of work is led by our interim head of corporate parenting and

incorporated into our wider review of the fostering service, which is undergoing a review of both service delivery and service need. This will be completed by Mid-March 2022.

 

We are reviewing the support offer practical, emotional and financial to our current foster carers, both mainstream and connected carers. We are developing our training offer for year 22/23 and; we are working closely with our partners in the Comms team to ensure we have recruitment campaign that is innovative, robust and widens the approach and offer to prospective carers, across all demographics, making CYC  their preferred choice. This will include becoming a trans inclusive service  by introducing a code of acceptance for all foster carers. We are midst writing this and will be rolling this out from April 1st to all current and prospective carers. We are working with YAFCA on all aspects of service review.

Work with partner organisations who work to combat homelessness and support people experiencing homelessness to ensure that transgender people are not marginalised or discriminated against while accessing homelessness support.

Tracey Carter /

Den Southall

Cllr Craghill

Ongoing service provision in accordance with our equalities duties.

Work with older people’s accommodation providers to ensure services are LGBTQ+ friendly and to factor the LGBTQ+ community into decisions about residential placements.

Cllr Carol Runciman / Jamaila Hussain

We are working with LGBTQ+ groups to ensure providers are aware that services provided should be diverse recognising diversity in-particular within the LGBTQ+ community. For all new social care contracts commissioners will ensure that all contracts highlight specific needs within the community. We will work with local groups to ensure contracts are co-produced in particular within the care home sector.

22/03/2021

Fair Funding Deal for Police and Fire Services

Council resolved:
To thank all of York and North Yorkshire’s police and fire

service staff alongside all key workers for their ongoing

efforts in what has been a particularly difficult year.

Ian Floyd

Thank you day recognised on 04/07/21. Working with partners to install a fitting memorial whilst sharing a certificate of thanks from the Lord Mayor to all involved.

To lobby the Government to carry out a comprehensive

funding review of fire and police services in North Yorkshire,

in order to futureproof sustainable service provision,

including long-term improvements to the 101 service.

James Gilchrist/

Sharon Stoltz/Matt Boxall/Jane Mowat

Cllr Aspden

Progressed through the Safer York Partnership.

To call on the Government to provide additional resources to

Neighbourhood Policing Teams in order to strengthen the

working relationships between the Force and local

communities in the city.

Cllr Aspden

Letter sent.

22/03/21

York’s Pension Investment in a Sustainable Future

To call on the York and North Yorkshire Pension Fund to

commit to invest £120 million of the infrastructure portfolio in

green infrastructure, to be split equally between the region,

the UK, and global projects.”

Ian Floyd

Letter sent to NY Pension Fund on 27th April 2021.

To welcome the increased awareness of pension fund

managers of the urgent need to move all holdings away from

fossil fuels to avoid the potential impact of ‘stranded assets’

on future performance of their funds.

Ian Floyd

Completed. 

To raise awareness of the content of this motion among

council employees (who are mostly contributors to the North

Yorkshire Pension Fund) to ensure they can be more

engaged with decisions affecting their future pensions.

Ian Floyd

Completed.

22/03/2021

 

Protecting Jobs, Investing in our Communities and Transparency in the Planning System

Council resolved to request that Executive:
• explore options for pursuing Article 4 Direction powers to suspend Permitted Development Rights (under The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015) on conversions that continue to threaten the viability of York’s economy through the loss of both retail and office space, without diverting necessary resources from the Local Plan process;

Executive

Report scheduled to be considered by Executive 21 April 2022 on “Review of the Controlling the concentration of Houses in Multiple Occupation Supplementary Planning Document 2012 (revised 2014) in response to the Council Motion of December 2021 – this motion will also be addressed.

 

 

• develop a system whereby all developer contribution agreements with the council are publicly available in an easily accessible format, including trigger points for the release of those funds, and a record of any unspent monies returned to developers;

James Gilchrist/

Becky Eades

 

Cllr A Waller

The Planning department is working on a publicly accessible system for section 106 funds and availability. These S106 arrangements are also subject to an annual statutory report.

 

 

• facilitate improved Ward Councillor involvement in the S106 process, such that the priorities of individual communities are taken into account prior to opening negotiations with developers (whilst not hindering adherence to statutory deadlines);

Janie Berry

Ward Councillors involvement in the section 106 process is not possible as it forms part of the statutory planning function, however ward members could outline their key priorities for areas in their ward which can be considered by officers.

• request that Planning Officers roll-out a programme of high-level training on the S106 process, including its current limitations, for all councillors.

Janie Berry

Members were provided training earlier in the year with regards to section 106 training, this will be renewed next year in a member training programme.

15/07/2021

A Planning System that Works for Residents

Council resolved to call on the Government to scrap its Planning White Paper and instead:

Cllr Waller

 Letter sent to Government by Cllr Waller.

• Undertake a wholesale review of Permitted Development Rights.

Cllr Waller

Letter sent to Government by Cllr Waller.

• Make the Planning Inspectorate more accountable to local people.

Cllr Waller

 Letter sent to Government by Cllr Waller.

• Ensure a simpler system with adequate funding to enable planning
authorities such as York to ensure that planning conditions (including
construction management plans) are complied with, protecting the
quality of life of nearby residents or businesses both during and after
the construction period.

Cllr Waller

 Letter sent to Government by Cllr Waller.

• Ensure that local resident engagement is at the heart of planning and
any reforms do not threaten the accountability and engagement process
and Councillors are able to play their democratic role.

Cllr Waller

 Letter sent to Government by Cllr Waller.

• Implement reforms that would help local authorities build more social
housing, including cheaper loans, access to low-priced public land and the right to keep 100 per cent of the sale price of council homes sold off under Right to Buy scheme to reinvest in new homes.

 

Cllr Waller

 Letter sent to Government by Cllr Waller.

15/07/2021

Ensuring Access for All

Council resolved to request that the Executive and relevant Executive Member:

• continue addressing the following suggestions through the ongoing accessibility arrangement review:

 

• undertake a review of city centre seating, working closely with older
adult and disability advocacy groups, to ensure sufficient ‘rest-stops’ are
available throughout the pedestrianised footstreets area;

James Gilchrist / Dave Atkinson

Cllr D’Agorne

Approved Executive 18 November.

City Centre Access report and action plan. Update on the action plan coming to Cllr D’Agorne’s EMDS in March.

• ensure that all new benches installed across York are age and disability friendly, with appropriate backs and arm rests;

James Gilchrist /

Dave Atkinson

Cllr D’Agorne

Approved Executive 18 November.

City Centre Access report and action plan.

• ensure sufficient provision of fully accessible toilets, baby-changing
facilities and changing places that are open at appropriate times and
that are well-signposted;

James Gilchrist / Dave Atkinson

Cllr D’Agorne, Daryl Smalley / Charlie Croft

Action Plan reflect this provision.

•  undertake a review of cycle rack provision to ensure secure parking is
available for the full range of cycles, including mobility aids and trailers;

James Gilchrist/

Dave Atkinson

Cllr D’Agorne

Approved Executive 18 November.

City Centre Access report and action plan.

• explore options for a frequent shuttle ‘train’/bus that is fully accessible,
not limited to Blue Badge Holders, not stigmatising and that enables
people to get to and from a range of places within the pedestrianised
footstreets area that they need access to;

James Gilchrist /

Dave Atkinson

 

Cllr D’Agorne

Approved Executive 18 November.

City Centre Access report and action plan.

•  review the provision of charging points for mobility aids such that those
who wish to access the city centre via this method can be confident that
they will not get stuck and be forced into embarrassing or stressful
situations;

James Gilchrist /

Dave Atkinson

 

Cllr D’Agorne

To be reviewed by new Access Forum established by the Access & Inclusion Officer.

•   direct council officers to work with partners, through the Quality Bus
Partnership, to work collaboratively with local disability representative
groups to review how drivers prioritise wheelchair users’ access and
makes Class 3 access training available in York;

James Gilchrist /

Dave Atkinson

 

Cllr D’Agorne

To be reviewed by new Access Forum established by the Access & Inclusion Officer.

• in conjunction with Age Friendly York, local disability representative
groups and Quality Bus Partnership, develop agreed criteria for
accessible bus stops;

James Gilchrist /

Dave Atkinson

 

Cllr D’Agorne

To be reviewed by new Access Forum established by the Access & Inclusion Officer.

•  review the policy, as a part of the Council’s review of parking and routes
to and through the city centre, around choice of road and pavement
surfaces city-wide, to ensure that ergonomics and accessibility are
taken into account and that a consistent approach is taken to tactile
paving city-wide;

James Gilchrist /

Dave Atkinson

 

 

Cllr D’Agorne

Approved Executive 18 November.

City Centre Access report and action plan.  Work with Access Forum to identify the priority car parks.

• ensure that an easily accessible, up-to-date map of Blue Badge parking
is available to residents online and in hard copy upon request;

James Gilchrist / Dave Atkinson

Cllr D’Agorne

 Approved Executive 18 November.  City Centre Access report and part of action plan.

• review national best practice examples for pedestrian core accessibility
such as Chester and Leicester, and, whilst recognising that every city
has different issues and challenges, consider measures that improve
pre-existing access such that City of York Council meets its obligation to
ensure equality of city centre access for all York residents

James Gilchrist /

Dave Atkinson

Cllr D’Agorne

Approved Executive 18 November.

City Centre Access report and action plan.

• build on the promotion of flags like the Armed Forces flag, the LGBT flag and Trans flag by committing to fly the Disabled Pride flag at least once a year (for example a day in July, Disabled Pride month) from the Mansion House and other appropriate flag poles;

Cllr Smalley, Janie Berry

 In Progress

 

 

• to further the aim of raising awareness of Disabled Pride and the issues faced by disabled people, that the logo of the Disabled Pride flag be used by CYC where possible – for example on notices, posters and email signatures if people wish.

Cllr Smalley / Pauline Stuchfield

In progress

15/07/2021

Fixing Social Care

To have all Group leaders jointly call on the new Health and Social Care Secretary to urgently begin cross-party discussions to enable Ministers to bring forward comprehensive plans that would address short and long term funding needs of the care sector.

Group Leaders

In progress

Funding for short-term stabilisation, addressing short-term funding challenges, which have been worsened by Covid, to prevent further deterioration in the access to and quality of care.

Jamaila Hussain / Michael Melvin

There has been increased investment into social care as part of 22/23 budget, further work is ongoing to reduce the number of short term funding arrangements.

A long-term plan for social care that sets the priorities for investment and transformation of services and systematically addresses the workforce challenges;

Jamaila Hussain / Michael Melvin

There is currently a plan in place, Officers are updated this to ensure alignment with the White paper that came out late last year and also the integration while paper released on the 9th February.

A funding settlement that provides local government with the necessary finance to implement the long-term plan over the next five years; and;

Jamaila Hussain / Michael Melvin

Officers are currently working with finance teams to fully understand the implications of the adult social care white paper. The recent budget includes further investments into social care.  A 22/23 finance plan in in place, and we will further develop this as part of system wide planning over the next couple of months, aligning this with Council Plan objectives and HWBB strategy.

Arrangements to protect people from incurring catastrophic care costs by pooling the risk and making the current means-test more comprehensive.

Jamaila Hussain / Michael Melvin

A part of our responsibilities under the Care Act, as a council we already provide an opportunity for self-funders to have a social care assessment this helps to ensure that the individual receive the right care as stipulated in the assessment thus safeguarding individuals paying for unnecessary care. We are currently reviewing options of introducing a more comprehensive means test, in line with FACS.

21/10/21

Making York an Anti-Racist and Inclusive City

Council resolves to aspire to make York an Anti-Racist and Inclusive City, and requests that Executive:

·         supports the setting up within three months of an independent, ethnically diverse and intersectional working group, to include people with lived experiences, that will, working to its own terms of reference, collaboratively develop and implement a long-term anti-racism and inclusion strategy and action plan for the city that:

o   identifies, acknowledges, and tackles structural barriers to understanding the impacts of racism and to implementing change in all public bodies in our city;

o   identifies, acknowledges, and works to tackle institutional racism wherever it exists in all public bodies in our city;

o   encourages the participation of marginalised ethnic groups in all aspects of civic and city life;

o   works to ensure equitable representation from marginalised ethnic groups in local governance;

o   ensures equal access for those same groups to health (including mental health) and social services;

o   ensures that the narratives and visibility of York's history are acknowledged and that citizens from marginalised ethnic groups are promoted and celebrated for what they have to offer

 

Cllr Smalley, Executive Pauline Stuchfield

Meeting took place in December 2021 with Speak Up Diversity to start discussions regarding what resource they will require to support them “in producing the strategy and action plan before bringing a resourcing proposal back to Council”.  Funding approved of start-up costs of £5k to support the establishment of the group, along with £20k to deliver the activities as outlined in the motion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• agrees to receive the strategy and action plan after 12 months and act swiftly to implement the latter.

 

See above

 

 

• collaborates with the working group to assess what resource it will require to support it in producing the strategy and action plan before bringing a resourcing proposal back to Council.

 

See above

21/10/21

Government Must Work with Councils to Tackle Worsening Heatwaves and Extreme Weather

Council resolves to ask Executive to report on the City’s climate resilience by assessing the risks from the eight priority risk areas of the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (June 2021) https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/independentassessment- of-uk-climate-risk/ , plan for enhancement of the city’s climate resilience and management of the unavoidable impacts of climate change.

Cllr Widdowson / Claire Foale / Shaun Gibbons

Ongoing.

Progress made in the Climate Change Strategy. Additional work required to produce impact assessment following publication.

 

 

• To add this Council’s voice to calls by the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport, and others, for a joint local and national government taskforce to plan action to reach ‘net zero’ emissions.

Cllr Widdowson / Claire Foale / Shaun Gibbons

See above

 

 

•To call for such a partnership to set appropriate regulations.

Cllr Widdowson / Claire Foale / Shaun Gibbons

See above 

 

 

• Benchmarks and targets and create the much needed longterm funding to enable local council areas, communities and economies to decarbonise whilst remaining resilient and able to realise the benefits of decarbonisation in terms of new green jobs and a healthier environment.

Cllr Widdowson / Claire Foale / Shaun Gibbons

See above

 

 

• To therefore ask the Chief Operating Officer to write to Alok Sharma MP, President for COP26, the Prime Minister, and the Leadership Board of the LGA, informing them of our support for a joint Local/National Government Climate Change Partnership Taskforce and asking for one to be established as soon as possible.

Ian Floyd

Letter send on 15.11.21.  Response received on 08.04.22.

21/10/21

Signing Up to the City of Sanctuary Local Authorities Network

Council Resolves to Join the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network committing the council to work towards the Council of Sanctuary Award and agreeing to endorse the City of Sanctuary Charter.

Pauline Stuchfield

Application submitted to join Network. 

 

 

 

• Commit to working with York City of Sanctuary.

Pauline Stuchfield

First meeting held with York City of Sanctuary in December 2021, with a view to developing our action plan .  A task group has been formed.

 

 

• Draw up an action plan, for approval by the Executive, showing how the council will: learn about what it means to be seeking sanctuary; take positive action to implement welcome, safety and inclusion; and share its experience of sanctuary and welcome with the wider community and local organisations, spreading the word about its welcoming efforts.

Pauline Stuchfield

Draft action plan to be consulted on during March

 

 

• Submit an application, within six months of joining the network, to go through the award appraisal process in order to gain accreditation as a Local Authority of Sanctuary.

Pauline Stuchfield

See above

21/10/21

York Residents’ Right to Food

Council resolves and requests that Executive:

• Agree to allocate individual responsibility for tackling food poverty to a named Executive Member.

Cllr Runciman /

Cllr Craghill

Now joint responsibility of Executive Members of Health and Adult Social Care and Housing and Safer Neighbourhoods

• Designates Local Area Coordinators as food justice champions, who will lead on tackling food poverty locally.

Pauline Stuchfield

To review which roles in Communities are more suited to this purpose as part of food Poverty work.   New officer role created in the community team to work on food poverty at Decision Session of the Executive Member for Finance and Performance - 14 February 2022, 1 year funding approved. 

 

• Supports the setting up of a food partnership to bring together local stakeholders, including members of the community who have provided informal food banks, to develop a local food action plan to help address the causes of food poverty, which will report back to the Health Policy and Scrutiny Committee.

Pauline Stuchfield

First internal meeting set up to review all motion elements and to look to co-produce action plan with foodbanks and grass roots community organisations.   Will be progressed through communities and COI (Food)

• Increases promotion of Healthy Start vouchers amongst eligible families in the city and agrees a 100% target for their take-up.

Sharon Stoltz

Healthy Start is a statutory public health responsibility. The public health team have adopted an aspirational target of 100% take-up and have a project plan in place with partners to deliver this together with a small amount of investment from the public health grant to improve access to vitamins while the application process is being undertaken and for a marketing campaign to raise awareness. Performance will be monitored via reports to the Executive Member.  National data on uptake is currently not available as the system changes from a paper-based voucher system to a digital system.  However, a comms campaign has been operating, with articles in the residents magazine as well as on social media. The Healthy Child service continues to support families to sign up to the programme and supplies vitamins at every new birth visit.

• Building on work throughout the pandemic, makes the focus of the Community Hubs Strategy to facilitate the setting up of ‘community kitchens’ in buildings such as community centres, council-run centres and school kitchens that are out of use during school holidays, so they can be used by the community to provide good quality, nutritional food for residents in need.

Pauline Stuchfield

As above (food partnership) and COI (Food).

• Surveys informal food bank providers to get a clear picture of the amount of informal food bank use in York.

Pauline Stuchfield

Data work in planning as part of regional recovery work.

• Works to ensure the council frequently promotes the city’s food poverty support website through its corporate communications: https://yorkfoodpoverty.org/whatshappening/

Pauline Stuchfield

To review as part of food poverty work, likely to focus on LiveWellYork website

16/12/21

End Violence Against Women and Girls

Council resolves to:

1)      Endorse the Council’s application to become a White Ribbon Accredited local authority.

Sharon Stoltz

CYC became accredited on January 2022

2)      Encourage all Councillors to take the White Ribbon pledge, never to take part in, condone or stay silent about violence against women.

Sharon Stoltz

This forms part of the action plan of the White Ribbon Steering Group, which in turn is a sub-group of the Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board.

3)      Update its own housing services policies as a matter of urgency to ensure that coercive control is taken into account in the same way that domestic violence is, when considering property moves for vulnerable tenants.

Sharon Stoltz / Tracey Carter

Staff across our teams work with a whole range of agencies around DA including Police, IDAS, Children Services, attending MARAC meetings, child conferences, LAC etc. This is an issue that they have and continue to deal with week in week out.  We shall strengthen provisions to assert that we already recognise coercive control as a form of domestic violence in our policies.

4)      Arrange awareness training around violence against women and girls and misogyny.

Sharon Stoltz

As part of the CYC Safe Accommodation strategy training is in the process of being commissioned.

5)      Support the summit regarding violence against women and girls with key city and regional representatives set to be held early next year and support the implementation of the forthcoming North Yorkshire Police strategy to help make York a safer place for women and girls.

Sharon Stoltz

The Office of the Police Fire and Crime Commissioner has recently drafted a Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.  This is being formally presented to represented of key services across the Local Authority on 17th March.  In addition, Supt Mark Khan has held a meeting with key partners to look at VAWG.  We have also received £206k from the Safer Streets Home Office Funding to upgrade street lighting in areas where attacks on women have occurred and for providing training to taxi drivers and businesses on how to deal with vulnerable people. 

 

Following the OPFCC presentation on 17th, we will be ensuring that we are coordinating the VAWG response in York under the Safer York Partnership’s governance structure to ensure that the work being explored by the police is coordinated under one structure.

 

Domestic Abuse has passed across to Public Health to lead on and Anita Dobson will be able to provide you with an update on that. 

 

6)      Encourage schools, academies and colleges to develop and implement policies on tackling physical, mental or emotional harassment of female pupils or staff, separate to their bullying policy.

Sharon Stoltz / Maxine Squire

Previously mentioned training will also be rolled out to education partners and school nurses.

7)      Support and work to expand such campaigns as the ‘Ask for Angela’, ‘Ask for Clive’ and the Our Streets Now.

Sharon Stoltz

This forms part of the action plan of the White Ribbon Steering Group, which in turn is a sub-group of the Domestic Abuse Local Partnership Board.

8)      Write to the new Police, Crime and Fire Commissioner to ask them to report on performance on tackling violence against women and the progress of implementing a region-wide strategy to support this work.

Sharon Stoltz

CYC officers are involved in ongoing meetings with NYP and NYCC regarding the VAWG partnership strategy implementation and since August 2021 public health have worked on improving data sharing. This York specific data is now being shared.

16/12/21

Caring and Dignity for York’s Elderly Residents

Council resolves to:

  • state its written opposition to Government on the exclusion of financial support for York’s least well off residents in calculating when the care cap threshold is reached;

Jamaila Hussain / Michael Melvin  / Debbie Mitchell

We are finalising the calculation that the cap will have and will formally write back since receiving the Council allocation. We have also highlighted to the Local MP in regards to the implications the cap threshold will have on residents and the Council.

 

 

  • write to both York MPs, highlighting the number of York residents currently in receipt of support with care costs in their respective constituencies, as an indication of how many are likely to be hard hit by the new policy from 2023;

Jamaila Hussain / Michael Melvin

We have replied back to the MP in December with the figures. As well as highlighting that the new policies will have a detrimental effect on the most vulnerable

 

 

  • request that Executive:

o   commissions a study to investigate more cost-effective market structures for care places in York;

o   carries out a full review of its Haxby Hall transfer decision, both to learn lessons and to determine what support it can provide Yorkare to enable it to honour its legal obligations around staff transfers;

in order to provide a secure, safe and stable local care market, that York residents can better afford.

Jamaila Hussain / Michael Melvin  / Debbie Mitchell

We have commissioned VENN to complete a review of services from early intervention to domiciliary care. This review has highlighted areas where social care and health can work together to maximise support for people earlier in their care journey, through community and voluntary sector support as well as Local area co-ordinators. A separate fair cost of care analysis tool is being developed through the ADASS commissioning network. The work should conclude in April 2022.

 

A desk top review has been completed to look into the transfer, procurement and commissioning of Yorkare and also linked in with Yorkare in regards to staffing and contractual arrangements. Yorkare consultation with staff concluded ended in January.

16/12/21

Houses in Multiple Occupation

Council resolves therefore in the interests of protecting residential family homes for family use to request Executive:

·         initiates without delay a review of the HMO Supplementary Planning Document with a view to halving the acceptable percentage thresholds of HMOs across the Article 4 Direction area, whilst taking into account alternative housing provision available, and being mindful of the need to provide suitable accommodation for vulnerable residents;

Cllr Denise Craghill/ Cllr Andrew Waller

 

Alison Cooke/Ruth Abbott/Neil Ferris/Tracey Carter

Report scheduled to be considered by Executive 21 April 2022 on “Review of the Controlling the concentration of Houses in Multiple Occupation Supplementary Planning Document 2012 (revised 2014) in response to the Council Motion of December 2021.

 

 

·         In the interests of transparency, commits council officers to updating concentrations of HMOs across the Article 4 Direction area annually, at residential and street levels, by providing up to date data on both the council website and the York Open Data website.

Cllr Denise Craghill/ Andrew Waller

 

Alison Cooke/Ruth Abbott/Neil Ferris/Tracey Carter

As above.

16/12/21

Clean Up York’s Rivers

Council resolves to request the Chief Operating Officer to:

·         Consider what further enhancements to the city’s riverside offer can be made

Cllr Paula Widdowson

 

Ian Floyd/Steve Wragg

As above

 

 

·         Confirm that all available measures are being taken to ensure that any development which takes place in proximity to York’s rivers is sympathetic to the significance and historic context of its setting, in particular ensuring that where the Council is the developer itself, all opportunities are taken to maximise enjoyment of the rivers and riverside areas.

Cllr Paula Widdowson

 

Ian Floyd/

Steve Wragg

As above

 

 

·         Consider whether through working in partnership with all relevant stakeholders more can be done to enhance river safety, including the introduction grab-chains, CCTV and other such safety measures as well as enhanced and improved ongoing river-safety advertising campaigns.

Cllr Paula Widdowson

 

Ian Floyd/

Steve Wragg

RoSPA are due to come and review York’s river safety measures in late April / May 2022 (exact date TBC, and once flood risk is over).  The review will involve stake holders and report into the Water safety Advisory Board (chaired by NY Fire and Rescue), next meeting of Board 26th April.

 

 

 

·         Write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs calling for the Government to commit to granting the necessary funding, regulatory powers and policy changes to restore the health of Britain’s rivers.

Cllr Paula Widdowson

 

Ian Floyd/

Steve Wragg

Letter sent 25.01.22

 

 

·         Write to The Chief Executive of Yorkshire Water calling for urgent action to address the impact of waste-water discharges on our local rivers and to consider the implications of the work of the Storm Overflows Taskforce, the recently published Storm Overflow Evidence Project report and their implications in York, particularly relating to the use of real time data releases on overflow spills

Cllr Paula Widdowson

 

Ian Floyd/

Steve Wragg

Letter sent 25.01.22. Response received from Yorkshire Water on 04.02.22.

 

 

·         Write to the Regional Director of the Environment Agency to request an update on the current testing regime in the Ouse and Foss to understand if improvements could be made. As well as to request that consideration is made to house the data on the CYC York Open Data platform and explore if the tests undertaken and information on their findings can be publicised on the Council website and social media channels.

Cllr Paula Widdowson

 

Ian Floyd/

Steve Wragg

Letter sent 25.01.22

 

 

·         Write to the charities River Action and The Rivers Trust expressing this Council’s support for their campaign to restore the health of Britain’s rivers

Cllr Paula Widdowson

 

Ian Floyd/

Steve Wragg

Letter sent 25.01.22

 

 

Council also resolves:

  • In the light of the above, to request that Executive commission an update report on the actions that the council is able to take, along with the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water, the Canals and Rivers Trust and other local and regional partners to prevent incidents and protect the health and cleanliness of York’s rivers;

Cllr Paula Widdowson

 

Ian Floyd/

Steve Wragg

In progress

 

 

·         To request that this report cover current local powers that are available to control and limit fly-tipping in water courses, control other discharges and require water courses to be kept free from pollution, as well as exploring the options for producing an overarching Strategy for York’s Rivers and Becks. This strategy would bring together a single overview of work on flood management, climate change adaptation, water course related biodiversity and land management and pollution control.

Cllr Paula Widdowson

 

Ian Floyd/

Steve Wragg

In progress